Life Goes On
by Kiribati
Summary: Sometimes it burns, you just want to give up. Sometimes it sucks, it seems like nothing goes your way. Sometimes it knocks you down and you can't get back up right away. It's a test of strength really, to see how much a person can endure before they crack. What is this exactly? Life.
1. PART I - Love Me Slowly

_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN VICTORIOUS OR ANY OF THE PEOPLE MENTIONED. NEITHER DO I OWN THE SONGS: L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S BY NOAH AND THE WALE AND YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME BY BON JOVI._

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**PART I - LOVE ME SLOWLY  
**

_"L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N._

_You've got more than money and sense, my friend  
__You've got heart and you go in your own way"_

It was another rainy Monday in Vancouver. Most citizens were used to that weather, and it didn't bother them, but Beck wasn't like that. He looked out the window of his office, taking another sip of his strong coffee. When he was younger he used to love rain, it gave him inspiration to write. Nowadays he didn't have time to do so, much less the inspiration he needed, considering all the stress he was surrounded with. Rain reminded him of different times, times where his worst nightmare was becoming exactly what he was now.

He heard a couple of knocks on the door, followed by a head popping inside. "Excuse me Mr. Oliver." He turned around, listening to the familiar voice of his assistant. "Mr. Harries wants to see you in his office."

"I'll be right there, thank you Elena." She nodded, walking out. He finished the hot beverage, and walked out. "Would you grab another coffee for me?" He asked his assistant, and she nodded like she always did. She had been working for him for over a year, and had never said more than a few sentences. He checked the time in his Cartier watch, it was ten AM sharp. The meeting he had to attend was only at noon, why was his boss asking to see him?

"Mr. Harries is ready for you." Tamara, his boss's assistant said, opening the door for Beck.

"Beck!" He exclaimed, getting up for his desk. "The men I wanted to see."

"Hello Mr. Harries." He said, analyzing his bosses office. Mr. Harries was a short men, who carried himself like he was six-foot tall. He had black hair and very white teeth. And his left hand was always occupied, holding a glass of forty-year old whisky. He had a wife and four kids, and three lovers aside.

"Why are you calling me Mr. Harries, feel free to call me Steve." He went over to his desk, and pressed a few buttons on his phone, connecting him to his assistant. "Tamara will you pour Mr. Oliver a glass of fine Whisky."

"Right away Mr. Harries."

He took a long sip off his own glass, and left it at the edge of the table. Tamara walked in, and took it. Giving her boss a refill, and Beck a brand new glass. "Don't worry boy, it's five PM somewhere." He said, grabbing the glass and taking another sip. Beck wondered how he could drink so much, and yet always seem sober. "Now, let's talk business."

"Don't worry Mr... Steve... I have everything ready for the meet-"

"Forget about the meeting, Ronald can take over for you." Beck looked at his boss, confused. "Mrs. Trump called me."

"Mrs. Trump?" Beck said, with wide eyes. _Ivanka Trump_, daughter of_ Donald Trump_. The man who owned the empire Beck worked for. To get a personal call from one of them meant one of two things. He either did something really bad, or something really good.

"They're offering you a position as CEO in Chicago." Steve smiled, and Beck took a sip of his whiskey. "You're playing in the big leagues now. Welcome." He raised his glass, and the two men toasted to their jobs, and six digit salaries. "C'mon, I'm taking you out to celebrate. Have you ever been to _'The Avenue'_?

_"Lisa likes brandy and the way it hits her lips  
__She's a rock 'n' roll survivor with pendulum hips  
__She's got deep brown eyes  
__That've seen it all"_

Tori looked at herself in the mirror. Her waist-length hair was curled, and sprayed with glittery hairspray. Her skin covered with glowy body spray and fake tan, and very tiny black lingerie. She grabbed the matching garter belt and stockings, and put them on, ready for the show. "Lisa, you ready baby?"

"'Course I am." She said, smiling as she let her stage name sink in, giving her the personality she needed to go out there. Tori liked poetry, chamomile tea and folk music. Lisa liked Brandy and Rock'n Roll. Tori wondered if the roles had inverted. If she was more Lisa than Tori. "Play my song honey!" She said, as all the lights faded out, and she walked to the stage.

She was paid a lot to do that. A lot more than what she would earn if she did local commercials that wouldn't give her half percent of the salary she had now. Some would say she had a shameful job, she preferred to think that those who said that were only intimidated by her. She was every man's wet dream, and what every girl aspired to be.

That was her Lisa side talking.

She left Tori for the times she really needed her. When she visited her parents, and had to tell them all the great amount of money she made was from singing in the Indie café every Wednesday. When she told her nieces to follow their dreams, and that everything would work out. When she told herself that dancing for middle-aged men in tiny underwear wasn't as bad as the seventeen year old girl who lives inside of her think it is. The naive seventeen year old who thought it was easy making it in Hollywood.

_"Shot to the heart and you're to blame_  
_Darlin' you give love, a bad name"_

The lights go back on, and all the girls are on the poles dancing to the business men in_ 'meetings'_. Except for Tori, she was in the middle. She was the star.

"Who's that one?" Beck asked to his previous boss, pointing at the middle of the stage. A girl who rocked the floor and poll like no one else.

"That's Lisa." He told him, as a girl with nothing on her but an apron gave him a glass of the finest booze in the house. "You know what, I'll pay you a private dance with her. And you better enjoy it, she's the most expensive here!" He got up, and followed a woman inside the VIP room.

Beck looked up the stage, astonished with the woman up there. The confidence only she had, hypnotizing him like he never thought it was possible. "Mr. Oliver, we have a room waiting for you." Beck followed the same woman who lead Steve to the VIP area, only he went to the opposite side. He didn't even want to think about how much that girl cost. "Lisa is getting ready for you Sir, would you like another drink?"

"Whisky." He said, and she walked out with his glass.

_"Working at a nightclub that was called the avenue  
__The bar men used to call her "little lisa, loney tunes  
__She went down on almost anyone"_

Tori got off the stage, satisfied with her performance. She always rocked it. "You have a private consultation in room thirty-seven." Roger, her boss said. Rubbing his thumb and index finger together. "Big cash." She smiled, nodding. "Go get changed, Stella is already boozing him up."

She changed her previous 'clothes' to the really expensive lingerie, that managed to be even smaller. A black thong that had cost more than her first pearphone. And covered herself up with a see through baby doll, before re-doing her makeup. Tori didn't really like one-on-one dances. Most men who went in there were too drunk to do anything to her. But there was always one client who confused her for a hooker. _'You can watch, but you can't touch.'_ She would tell them, but at that point they didn't care. After the first time things started spiraling down in a bad direction, she made sure they improved the security in that place for the girls. "I'm ready to go."

"You're getting a high paycheck tonight!" Roger told her, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him. "Make it shine in there."

"I always do." She walked past him, with a sad gleam in her eyes. That phrase once meant something a lot different to her.

_"An angel's smile is what you sell_  
_you promise me heaven, then put me through hell_  
_Chains of love, got a hold on me_  
_when passion's a prison, you can't break free"_

Beck sat back on the black leather couch, halfway through his third glass when she walked in. She walked in, and he thought how the dim light didn't do justice to her. Dim lights were made to hide something, he thought she should be in clear, white light. Nothing hiding at all. "What's your name?" She asked him, walking towards him. She grabbed his tie, and loosened it.

"Beck." He said, and she smiled.

"That's a nice name." She told him, running her index finger in his jaw line. He raised his hand up to the girls face, but she took a step back before he touched her. She climbed on the table, which had a pole on it. "Aren't you too young to wear a suit?" She asked, doing her tricks on the pole. Swinging and going up and down, watching her client drool over her.

"Mr. Trump says I'm a prodigy." She arched her back, holding on to the pole and going down. Until she was lying on the table. Reaching for the end of her babydoll, and pulling it over her head.

"Mr. Trump." She said, getting back up. "I'm impressed."

He watched her do her thing, he didn't want to call it a dance. It was the most erotic thing he had ever seen. "I feel like I know you." He told her, being honest. Now that he looked up close, he thought her face looked familiar. He couldn't figure out from where, he had never seen anyone like that. Her eyes though, they brought her back.

"You don't." She said, confident. She lied, that was her job. Men would ask her name, she would lie. They would ask her age, she would lie. They would say knew her, she would say they didn't. This was the first time she actually had to tell a lie after that question. After they told her she was dancing for a 'Mr. Oliver' the name ringed a bell. She didn't really figure out who he was until he told her his name. Beck Oliver, he was a senior at Hollywood Arts along with her sister, Trina. He dated one of the girls from her class, she didn't remember the name of the girl. She did remember his, he had changed a lot. The easy-going, teenage spirit had disappeared from him.

"What's your name?" He asked, and she went sat up on the table, throwing her hair back before answering. Every movement was slow, like she was in a music video. She acted on her own, and it was already enough for him. He couldn't even think

"Lisa."

"Maybe I knew you back in the day." He said, taking his cellphone out. "Come here."

She did as he told her, sitting with her legs on either sides of his lap. "What do you want, baby?"

"Maybe this will ring a bell." He turned to phone screen to her, and she smiled. That was the boy she remembered. Long hair, a crooked smile and eyes full of life.

"I'm sorry honey, I don't know." Tori told him, snapping back into Lisa. "But you sure had nice hair." She ran her fingers through his head, perfectly combed to the side, and short enough that would stay right above his forehead. A business-men haircut. "What happened to it?"

He didn't answer her. A sight, and the melancholic look on his eyes told her everything she needed to know. She slid off the couch, and back to the poll. "Wait..." He said, getting up, dizzy. "You're name isn't Lisa!" He held on the pole, looking up at her. "Hollywood Arts...Twenty twelve or something...Tori Vega."

She looked down at him, shocked. He really did remember her. "You've had a few drinks, haven't you?" She said, trying again. "I think you're done for today." She got down from the table, and he reached for her shoulders.

"No, wait!" She slapped his hand away.

"You can watch, but don't touch!" Lisa was drained out of her. She didn't have the energy to behave the way she was supposed to in front of him anymore. "You do know that every minute you spend in here extra, will cost you fifty bucks, right?"

"I don't care, I-"

She grinned. "Of course you don't care. The prodigy must have a really high salary." He took a step closer to her, though still holding on to the pole. "What do you want Beck?"

"I knew you would remember me Tori!" He smiled. "Can we go out? To talk?" He was desperate, like his world depended on talking to her. Seeing more of her. Knowing what had happened along the way, for her to have ended up in that place.

"No." She looked up at the clock on the wall. "Your time is up. You wanna stay, you gotta give me fifty." She grabbed the babydoll from the table, and putting it back on.

He opened his wallet, and without any hesitation took two hundred bucks out. She took it, putting it inside her garter. "What happened to you?" He asked, and she rolled her eyes.

"I could ask the same." She leaned against the table, crossing her arms. "In that two thousand dollar suit, with whiskey in your hand and big bills on your wallet. You're completely vain." He looked down at the floor, where the empty glass laid. He had no idea how many he had drunk. "I suggest that before you start judging me for being a stripper, buy yourself a mirror. I'm sure you can afford it."

"I'm not judging I..." He was in a loss of words. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to figure out the proper words in his head. "Let's just talk tomorrow. I can buy you dinner."

"Tomorrow's my busiest day." She smiled. "Lisa is the main attraction."

"I'll pay you!" He begged. She took another step back.

"You can't buy my time! I'm not a hooker!" Looking at him with despair.

"Correct me if I'm mistaken," He began. "but I just paid you to spent a few minutes with me."

She looked straight into his eyes. "You're an asshole." He looked somewhat confuse, as she walked out of the room.

_"Whoa!_  
_You're a loaded gun_  
_There's nowhere to run_  
_No one can save me_  
_The damage is done"_

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A/N: So... This is something I really wanted to write for a long time! I want to continue, if you guys want me to! **So if you liked this story and wants to know what happens to Beck and Tori give me a follow and review?** The Bori fandom has been getting smaller and smaller, so I'm afraid no one will read this. I'm hoping for the best though, and if you actually are reading this, thank you!** Love,**

**- Kiribati**


	2. Chapter 1-1

Tori walked out of the club, walking across the empty parking lot. She looked for a pack of cigarettes inside her purse, then she remembered she didn't smoke anymore. She grunted, and grabbed her Ipod, figuring she would have to deal with her anger with music. The bus stop was empty, as usual. She sat down on the wooden bench, waiting for the next bus. She flipped through her songs, looking for the something that was soft and calming. The rush of getting recognized hadn't gone away. Specially when that someone knew her before everything went wrong.

The bus arrived exactly eight minutes later, as usual. She greeted the bus driver, who was already familiar with her. She would take that bus everyday, at the same time. "Night Carl." She said, and he nodded back, before she went to the back of the bus. She looked out the window, as the bus made a turn from the dead part of the city, to downtown. There were nightclubs open, and homeless people playing songs, and teenagers smoking by the sidewalk. Her home was near, and she was finally starting to feel relaxed again.

Her phone buzzed, and she quickly took it out of her purse. It was from an unknown number, which was odd. The fact that it was almost three AM only made it even weirder. It was a text message.

_"We're having lunch tomorrow at one, you can choose the place. Beck."_

She frowned, revolted. What made him think that she would go to lunch with him? With no explanation, just a simple message like he owned her. She quickly text him back.

_"How did you get my number? Are you stalking me or something?!"_

The bus announced her stop, and she got up. Stomping hard on her feet, and almost punching the door for it to open. She walked down the street, clenching her phone in her hand, waiting for an answer. She entered her building, and as she was waiting for the elevator her phone buzzed again.

_"I don't know if you know this, but when you type Tori Vega on Google the first thing that comes out is your number, along with some café you perform in. So, now that we're past the 'who is this' phase, is one good for you? If it's too early we can push it to two. But don't worry, I want to make it up to you, so __I'm not paying."_

She rolled her eyes, going inside. She didn't even know why she bothered answering him in the first place. She could simply not show up, ignore him and he would eventually go away. Though he made her so angry, so frustrated, she couldn't let it go.

_"Why are you talking to me at three AM, what if I was sleeping? And I'm not paying to have lunch with you."_

She went inside her apartment, resting her phone on the kitchen counter. Enough, she thought, there was no point in answering him again.

Tori's apartment wasn't very big, but it was in a good building and in a good part of town. She had a view to the pacific ocean, and all the coolest places in the city minutes away. A place she could never afford, had she made other choices. She reminded herself of that every time she walked home. She spent months decorating it. Going after antique fairs and garage sales to make sure everything was unique, and in its place. It wasn't perfect, but she loved it, it was her home. She made her way to the bathroom, stripped off her clothes, and went inside the shower. She did the long routine of washing her hair with different oils, exfoliating her skin and rehydrating it. She applied her face mask, then her face cleanse and finally rose out of all the products, getting out. Her job was to look perfect, and since she didn't want her salary to get any lower, she did everything to keep it that way. She wasn't getting any younger.

That was her main concern, age. She already felt too old to be in the business, everyday nineteen and twenty year old girls came in. Each of them looking better than the other, and even though Tori was still the most requested out of all of them, that was soon going to end. No one wants a thirty old acting like she's ten years younger. She walked out of the shower, drying her hair in a towel before putting on her pajamas. They were extra-large, and cozy. The opposite from her_ 'uniform'_.

She turned on the TV on the news channel, and went back to the kitchen. Her phone was light up, which meant she had gotten another message from him. She took a deep breath, and ignored it. She opened her fridge, and took out what was left of a kale and apple smoothie, grabbed her phone and walked back to her room. She blow-dried her hair, taking short sips off her beverage.

_'I should look at the text.'_ She thought._ 'Maybe he's saying something really important and I'm ignoring him.' _She sat down in her bed, debating whether she should. Until the final thought reached her mind, what's the worst that could happen?

_"I don't want to buy your time, but I don't mind if you pay for mine. I just want to see you, in your terms."_

An unpleasant evening is not a good enough reason to let the thought of him haunt her. As always, she was impelled to text him back.

_"One is too early, do you even know what time it is?! Make it two pm, at L'Abattoir. Plus, a little tip for the future: It's not nice to text someone in the middle of the night!"_

Beck woke up at ten PM, he was never much of a sleeper. He sat up, looking around his bedroom. There was nothing for him to do that morning, he was feeling a weird sense of freedom. He just went on with his day as usual. He changed into his gym clothes, and worked out for an hour. He then ate a big breakfast, took a shower, and got dressed. The only problem was, he usually would head straight to work. Now, since he was being relocated, he had a two month vacation he had never asked for. Sure, he could go into work and walk around doing nothing, like Mr. Harries - Steve - did most days. It was still noon, and he had absolutely nothing to do until two hours later. If she actually showed up.

He re-read the text message she had sent him. She scheduled a place a time, that had to mean that she was going to go, right? He shook his head, sitting down in his bed, of course she was. He sigh, looking around his empty bedroom. What he should have started doing was packing, looking for apartments in Chicago. Talking to a real-estate and all that. He sigh again. The truth was, he didn't really have anything to pack.

When he moved back to his hometown, he lived in a small apartment, but it felt like his. There were vintage furniture, with weird paintings and a pile of suitcases as a table. He nailed LP's to the wall and a neon cow. It was weird, and it matched his personality. As he moved up on his job, he started gaining more money, and less time to stay at home. He was always stressed, and had something to do, the last thing he needed was to get home, and be surrounded by quirky decor that took up too much space. His apartment didn't do justice to his salary, and having to live downtown, constantly listening to car's buzzing in the streets was making him crazy.

He then moved to a bigger apartment, sold half of his things. Such as the neon cow, that gave him headaches, and the pile of suitcases which were simply inconvenient. Now he was on the other side of the English Bay, he lived near the woods, and it was so quiet that the only thing he heard was the central heating. He arranged the things he already had, the paintings in the living room, the vintage couch and a few collectible items. He liked it, the peace and quiet. But it was too far from the Trump Tower, and even further from the airport. He didn't care at first, but once he got promoted, again, he figured it didn't make any sense for him to be there.

His lat move was to one of the most expensive parts of town. He had a view to Stanley Park, and lived in a three thousand ft.² apartment. He left everything he had in the old house, and hired an interior designer to decorate the entire place. There wasn't a single piece of furniture that he had chose for himself, he just signed the check. He had absolutely no emotional attachment to anything inside, so he had nothing to pack. He would just find someone new to design his new apartment, once he had found one. He got up, and walked up to the wall in his bedroom, which was made out of glass. He would sure miss this city.

The clock marked two o'clock. Tori went out of her apartment, with no rush to get to the restaurant, which was only a block away. If she arrived too early, it would seem like she was excited to see him. She definitely wasn't. Though she was very worried about giving him the right impression. That morning she woke up, went to the gym and came back. Took a shower, did her hair and makeup and sat down, with one hour left until lunch. She spent that entire hour trying on every article of clothing in her apartment, and deciding that none was appropriate for the occasion. She finally decided to wear what she always wore to first dates during the day. Not that she was going to a date, but it was an outfit which made her feel good and confident.

Beck got up from the bar as soon as she saw her coming in. The effect she had over him wasn't different from the one in the previous night, though she was fully clothed, and with an angry look on her face. He still thought she looked incredible. "I knew you were going to show up." He said, smiling.

"A girl's gotta eat." She told him, as he made his way towards her, and she ignored his attempt of greeting her.

Beck asked the concierge for their table, and she sat them down by the window. They were each given a menu, before left alone. "I've never eaten here." Beck told her, looking around. "Is it good?"

"Would I chose it, if it were bad?" He rolled his eyes, taking a look at the wine selection.

Tori reached down at her purse, and took out a white envelope, putting it next to Beck's glass. "What's this?" He asked her, taking a look inside.

"Your money." She said, taking a sip of water. He took out the money for a brief second, before putting it inside and leaving it on her side of the table.

"I don't want this, it's yours."

"I gave it to you, you can't give it back." Beck argued. He felt like they were in a first grade arguing, and for some reason he liked it. At least they were communicating.

She pushed the envelope back to his side. "Then I'm leaving the world's best tip. I'm not keeping your money." Beck smiled, nodding his head as he looked at the wines.

"Do you like red or white?" He asked, going completely off topic.

"Red." She answered, confused. "So, what did you want to talk about?" She asked him, putting down the menu, since she already knew what she was going to order.

"I don't know." He told her, taking a small piece of bread from the table. "I don't usually bring topics to discuss on dates." She was about to answer him, but the waiter cut in, asking them about their beverages. "We'll have the Pinot Noir." He told him, and Tori glanced at the menu... It was the most expensive wine on the menu. Was he simply bragging about his money? Or actually enjoyed expensive wine?

"This is not a date." She affirmed, as soon as they were alone again.

The waiter poured the wine for the both of them. She took a sip. It really was extraordinary wine. "Are we friends?" He asked her, and she frowned.

"No."

"Are we siblings? Co-workers? Am I interviewing you or something?"

She took another sip of wine, confused. "No, but-"

"Then it's a date." He took a long sip, then ate some more bread.

"If it's a date, I'm not paying." She looked at him, defiant. "After all, you're the one who asked me out."

"Then I'll pay." He smiled. "But your keeping the two hundred dollars."

She smiled back. "We'll see about that."

The waiter came back, and they made their orders. Tori asked for a salad, and Beck ordered a steak. He hated vegetables, she was disgusted by red meat. Silence took over as they waited for their dishes, but it felt so weird Tori had to break it. "So... What do you do besides going to strip clubs?"

Beck raised his eyebrows, thinking how ironic it was that they had met in that place. "I actually don't usually go to those places."

"Hey, I'm not one to judge." They both smiled, finally easing off.

"I'm serious though. I work so much, I don't have the time to do anything."

"I get the feeling." She said. "Stressed all the time, thinking about what you have to do next."

"Pretty much." They both took a sip of wine now. "I really love travelling." He added. "That was the part of my job I really used to enjoy."

"Used to?"

She was now legitimately curious, without an aggressive posture - Or what she liked to call it, Lisa posture. - just listening to him, like a normal conversation.

"Yeah, well, I got a promotion. The job I have now requires me to stay in the same place."

"I've never even went out of the country." She said, resting her chin on her hand, he though she looked adorable. "Tell me more about travelling." She asked, and he did as he was told.

The waiter came back with their dishes, and this time they didn't even stop talking. She asked him about his trips, his favorites places in the world and how it felt to be in a completely different place. They talked about Italy, Japan and Australia. After that the conversation just went naturally, from one topic to another until they had absolutely no idea of what they were talking about. She giggled with a joke of his, and he smiled at one of her sarcastic comments. They were getting along like they never thought they would.

"May I bring the check?" Asked the waiter, clearing out the empty bottle of wine and plates from their table. They had already eaten dessert, which Tori knew she was going to regret. Drunk a bottle of wine, and talked for over an hour. The waiter knew they weren't going to order anything else. Tori looked at him, disapproving of his rude manner. She grabbed the two hundred-dollar envelope, and threw it back inside her purse._ 'I'll just leave it for a nicer waiter_', she thought. When he came back with the credit card machine, Beck didn't hesitate in paying. The previous discussion about buying her time was out of question now, it was a date, even if Tori didn't want to admit it.

They walked out of the restaurant, as the sun begun to set. "I can give you a ride home." Beck told her. "I parked only a couple of blocks away."

"That's fine." She said, tilting her head at her left. "I live right over there, in the tall building."

He followed her head, and it really was easy to spot it. There was one, really tall building that stood out. "I'll walk you, then." They slowly started to make their way, on the windy streets of Vancouver. She mentioned a quirky fact about the owner of the bakery next to a clothing store, and he laughed. A historic fact about the neighborhood, and the first steam clock in the world, which was only a few blocks away. He laughed when she told him about the homeless guy, who asked for money with really bad jokes everyday, and the businessmen who lived next to her, and listened to loud 90's music every morning. The roles inverted. He wanted to know more about the city he had lived in half of his life, the place he called home, and yet seemed to know nothing about.

"Here we are." She said, stopping in front of her building, and holding her keys.

"So.." He began, not sure of how to say goodbye. Thankfully, she made it easier for him.

"Do you want to come up, and have some coffee?"

"Sure." She opened the door to her building, and as he was about to step inside, she stopped him. Laying her hand on his chest.

"Wait." He looked down at her tiny hand, then back at her face, confused. "I don't want you to get a wrong impression."

"Which is..."

"I'm not gonna sleep with you." She bluntly said, catching him by surprise.

He chuckled. "Okay."

"I'm serious." She affirmed, but he maintained an easy smile on his face.

"Alright."

"I'm not." She repeated, and he agreed. But just the fact that he didn't brush of the smile on his face, made it seem like he wasn't listening to you.

"I understand." He said, again. "You're not going to sleep with me."

"Exactly."

She took a step back, and let him inside.

"I'm not." She said, one last time. This time not to him, but to herself.

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A/N: So! I hope you liked this super long chapter! I just want to thank everyone for the reviews, and follows! It means a lot to me that people are still enjoying what I'm writing and that the fandom is not dead**! So, I'm asking you again, please review!** Let me know if you liked it, if you hate it or if you don't really know what to say about it! I know that I love being back here, with a new story that I'm totally caught up with! **Love,**

- Kiribati


	3. Chapter 2-1

Tori opened the door to her apartment, and walked in. As soon as Beck was inside, she shut the door and quickly made her way to her room. She banged the door shut, she did not want Beck to see the mess in there. Thanks to all the clothes she didn't want to wear to the date, her floor was completely covered by clothes. He however, barely realized what she was doing. He was too impressed by the thousand things on her apartment. Every corner was occupied by something, but it all came weirdly together. Kind of like his first place, only girlier.

"You can hang your coat over there." She told him, pointing to a hanger next to the door. "So, coffee!" Tori quickly walked to her kitchen. Beck noticed she was really agitated, he couldn't figure out why. "Cream, sugar?"

"Sugar is fine." He told her, as he sat down in one of the three high chairs that faced the counter. He observed her kitchen, which was also opposite to his. She had every single appliance he could think of. Some of which he couldn't even tell what were for. Though when she opened her fridge he saw nothing but healthy things. _'Green foods'_ he thought. He was now reconsidering that coffee, thinking it probably wasn't actual coffee but something healthier. Something awful, like lettuce.

"Here you go." She told him, turning around and placing the mug on the counter. He cautiously took a sip off it, ready to lie and tell her it was good.

"Oh, good coffee." He said, surprised. She shrugged, taking a sip off her own.

They sat silent for a few seconds. Beck was halfway through his beverage, while Tori had only taken a couple of sips of hers. "It's funny." She said, running her index finger along the border of her mug.

"What is?"

"No matter how much I try to place you, I cannot picture you in high school." She smiles. "You're so different."

"It's sad, huh." He chuckles ironically.

"Everyone changed." She glanced over at the clock, she still had good fours hours before work. "I have an idea, yearbook!"

"No." Beck said, hypnotized by the daring smile on her face. "We don't need to go there."

"Oh yes, we do." She rushed out of the kitchen, and inside her storage room. Beck followed, though unlike her he carried his coffee with him. "It's in here, somewhere. I just have to find it." She was sitting on the floor, in the middle of complete mess. Beck smiled, thinking she would never be able to find them. Then he though about his apartment, which made the smile on his face fade away. He had nothing to store, not even his yearbooks. "See!" His thoughts were cut out, by her high pitch voice. "I knew I had them."

"Damn, these are so old." He said.

"Eleven years old." She completed, getting up and walking past him.

She went back to the living room, and sat on the floor, resting her back against the couch. The couch was empty, and with plenty of space for two people. Beck followed, keeping his thoughts about sitting on the ground to himself. "Hollywood Arts, nineteen ninety-nine. Freshman year for me, Sophomore for you."

He brushed the dust off the three books lying on the floor, while she did the same with the one in her lap. "This is going to be good." He told her, as she opened the first page. It was a big picture, of all the students in the school's cafeteria. Beck spotted Tori right away, standing in the front with all other freshmens. She had the smiled looking down, the same smile she had on the picture. Her clothes were colorful and she had feathers on her ears.

It took Tori a couple of seconds before she found Beck. She pointed at the second row, where he and a really white girl with blue hair stood together. "Here you are." She looked back up at him. "I remember taking this picture."

"You do?" Beck told her, surprised. He had a great memory for movie quotes and useless information. Memories on the other hand, weren't his forte.

"Jade was in my class." He widen his eyes at the thought of that name. It had been years since he thought about her, and it felt like centuries since the last time they saw each other. "And had to yell at the principle several times until he let her stay in the Sophomore's row."

"That was Jade." He said, smiling. "Though I have no recollection of any of it."

She flipped a few pages, until landing on the individual photos. She could still remember most of the faces. Right in the front was André Harris, who used to be one of her best friends. His quote was_ 'Grandma not now!'_, and that was something both of them remembered. He had a crazy grandmother, who was always on the School's plays and concerts. Yelling at her grandson on the most convenient times.

On the next page were all the B's, and it the second row as Beck. With a confident smile and great hair. "You were so handsome." Tori said, shocked by the change over the years.

"I still am." He told her, jokingly.

"You don't have the hair, though." She said, raising her hand up to his head and stroking his head. "The hair was amazing."

"I'll grow it out when I retire." He told her. "Be an eccentric elder, with long hair and a piercing."

"I would go out with that elder." She said, staring into his eyes as they both laughed. She slipped her hand away, but he didn't break her gaze. Tori felt her heart race, and quickly looked down at the book. "Look, there's Cat!" She exclaimed, breaking the tension. She sighed, trying to go on with the subject. Specially trying not to look at him _that_ way.

They flipped through the pages. Commenting on the weird clubs the school had. The even weirder teachers, like Sikowitz who loved coconut juice. The counselor, Lane, who was addicted to lotion. Then came the awards of the year. Tori hadn't landed any, but Beck and Jade had been voted the worst and best couple. "That was the best way to describe our relationship." He told Tori.

They then picked up Tori's sophomore yearbook. Tori looked the same, only a little bit older. Beck had grown into himself, now wearing a pleated shirt and jeans jacket. He had changed his style, until finding clothes that would ridiculous on anyone but him. A habit that got worse during college, and that disappeared when he began hunting for good jobs. As each day passed, a bit more of Beck disappeared as the businessmen grew. He looked at his full body picture. He had completely forgot about the five rings he wore on each hand, and worn out combat boots.

They moved on the third yearbook. Beck was now on the last row, as a senior. Next to a familiar face to Tori, Ryder Daniels. Her ex boyfriend, who lost Prome king to Beck. "He was furious." She told him. "He really wanted to be king."

"Wasn't he the one who hated school?" Beck asked her. Thinking it was ironic that the one guy who hated school, cared about Prome so much.

"Yeah, but the king won coupons to..." Tori frowned, not remembering where.

"Nozu!" Beck said, excited. "The japanese restaurant."

"That's a weird thing for you to remember." Tori told him. "You have a very selective memory."

"I always remember food." They flipped through the last pages, until landing on the traditional awards. This time Beck was in almost everyone of them, he won best hair - obviously -, best screenplay and was voted as most likely to succeed. The last one was true, depending on what the students meant by succeed. Monetary wise, Beck would say they were absolutely right. He didn't think about all the other aspects in his life, knowing they would have been miserably wrong.

"What was the last time you talked to anyone from high school?" She asked him, putting down the yearbook. "Not considering me, of course."

He smiled, looking up at her. She kept looking down, running away from him. "Five, maybe six years ago." He followed her eyes down at her hand. She slightly tapped the cover of the book. "You?"

"Graduation." She sighed, the sparkle in her eyes fading. "It feels like high school was in another life."

He slid his hand on the floor, until reaching hers. Her fingers were smooth and warm. She held her breath, knowing what he was trying to do. "Who wants wine?!" She quickly said, getting up. "I sure do!"

He let out a sigh of frustration, as she walked to the kitchen. "I'll take a glass." He scratched the back of his head. He watched her grab two glasses and open the bottle, taking a lot more time than any normal person would. She was trying to stay away from him. Beck grinned, as it all cleared up in his mid. He was getting under her skin, and she wanted to control herself. She wanted to maintain what she had told him earlier.

She came back, handing him a big glass with red wine.

The mixture of old memories and alcohol got them talking again. An hour passed by and Tori loosened up. When Beck attempted to make a move, she simply dodged him off. Though it made it harder for him respect her boundaries, and for her to tell him to stop. She wanted to give in, but she didn't want to seem easy. 'I'm not going to sleep with him.' She would have to remind herself.

The hours flew by, along with a bottle of wine. Her phone buzzed, just in time for her to realize she was late for work. "Shit!" She said, interrupting Beck's sentence. "I'm late for work! You have to go!" She got, motioning for him to go.

"I can give you a ride, if you want." She smiled, he was sweet. She had no time for that.

"It's fine, I'll take the bus..." She opened the door, taking a step back for him to walk out. "This was fun." She told him, awkwardly. She was terrible at goodbyes.

"It was." He stood in front of the door, not quite knowing what to do.

"I guess... I'll see you?" He nodded. "You have my number."

He began to walk away, when she called him back.

"Wait!" Tori began. She grabbed the coat he had hanged next to the door. He turned around determined. Beck had missed enough opportunities before, and he did not wanted to walk out wishing he had done things different. He was the type of men that had doubts about many things, more than he should, but was also sure about few of them. The few times he was sure, he was always right. "You forgot your c-"

He didn't allow her to finish that sentence. She motioned to hand him the coat, but was interrupted by his lips. He kissed her slow and deep. Her only available hand moved up to his neck, slightly digging her nails on his skin. He pressed their bodies closer together, she gave in. Falling right into his trap. She took a step back, and he followed. She felt her back push the door back, and gripped his shirt pushing him away. She wasn't going to give in that easily. "Okay..." She began, with a shy smile on her face. "You really have to go." She gave him one last brief kiss, before forcing him out with the door. "Call me."

"I will." He said, certain. She shut the door staring at his smile, and he watched her doing so with hers.

Beck turned back around, holding the coat she had hand him. He waited for the elevator, staring at his reflection on the metallic doors. His shirt was crumpled, his mouth stained with lipstick and his tie loose. He nodded his head, thinking this look took him back to better days. He finally had some hope for himself. The doors opened, and he tried to straighten himself up. Though he found the lipstick stain hard to take off. He walked out of her building enjoying the cold outside. He walked slowly to his car, in no rush to get to his empty home. The streets were light up, and empty. The steam clock blew off smoke as it marked another hour. Beck took it all in. Again, he was sure that he was going to miss that city.

The drive from Gastown to his apartment was quick. He greeted the doorman, who looked at him in another light. "You look different Mr. Oliver." He told him, pushing the elevator button. Beck thanked him, and went inside, once again staring at his reflection. Was it that obvious that something had happened? That he had finally escaped the monotonous routine he had been living?

He heard a 'ding'. The doors opened revealing a small hall, with a single door. He took his keys out, and walked inside his apartment. He turned on the lights and TV in the universal remote, threw his coat carelessly on the floor and walked to couch. He flipped through the channels, landing on a hockey game. The only thing he was kind of interested to watch, but it didn't make that much difference. It didn't take a long time for his phone to buzz, and for him to realize he had ignored all of his call throughout the entire day.

There were a couple of messages from Mr. Harri-Steve. Though both of them were invites to a dinner party or a 'business meeting' at 'The Avenue'. Beck figured this was no time for him to talk to his previous job, or address his feelings towards that club and its main dancer. He would rather pretend she was sitting at home, thinking about their evening. His phone buzzed again, and this time was his assistant.

He rolled his eyes, he was in no mood for that. She only called him to give him messages, work messages. It would always stress him out, more work to do. Even when he was supposed to be on a vacation. "Yes." He said, getting back up and pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

"Mr. Oliver, hello." Elena said, in a nervous voice. "I have some messages for you. Mr. Harries invited you to a dinner party next week, I'll email you the details." He sighed, it seemed like he wasn't going to be able to escape the party this time. Steve had the habit of invite him to things, and as his boss Beck felt obligated to go. Maybe the fact that he had been promoted hadn't sunk in yet, because he dreaded the dinner as if it still were part of his job. Even though he didn't. "I also found a really great real-estate agent, and she has some apartments for you in Chicago."

He took a long sip. "Great."

"The last thing, hm..." The line was silent for a few seconds. Beck could sense that she was nervous, it was a new side of her. "Since you're being transferred, I huh, I thought you could maybe write a recommendation letter for me." She took a quick pause. "Since I worked for you for a few years, and it would really help me find a new job sir. I might even be able to stay in the comp-"

"Of course I'll write it for you." Beck told her. "Though I was planning on asking you to come with me, to Chicago. The company would pay most of the expenses, and your salary would be much higher." He refilled his glass, and walked back to his couch.

"Oh, wow. Mr. Oliver, I really appreciate that offer." He heard her sigh. "But I have to turn it down. I just got married, and we bought a new house... My entire family is here, Vancouver is my home."

"I guess I need to start looking for new assistants too."

"I'll contact the company for you, sir." She told him. "Alright, thank you again for the offer."

"No problem." He told her. "I'll hand you the recommendation letter by the end of the week." He ended the call, and put down his phone. Surprisingly, there wasn't too much to do. He had gotten a few months off to do what normal people being transferred did. Pack all of his things, sell the current house and find a new one in the new town. Get to the their new home, buy furniture and make plans for the future.

So he sat back, and drank a little more.

Tori hopped off the bus, and rushed across the not so empty parking lot. She walked pass the usual group of drunk college boys, who sat in front of the '_The Avenue'_. The drinks were way overpriced inside the club, so the kids drank cheap beer before going in. Tori nodded her head, with an easy smile. Drunk college boys were the easiest to make money on. What they saved in expensive margaritas and whiskey, they spent in the girls without even realizing. She went inside. The cold air that blew outside was cut out by hot, and thick air. She greeted the security guard who was already on his first shift.

"Little Lisa Looney Tunes!" The barmen yelled, with a smile on his face. "You're late today! Want me to fix you the usual?"

She looked back at him, reciprocating the smile. He had a lively disposition that always affected her, and everyone else for that matter. It was no coincidence that he had been the one who worked for the club the longest. He was there before Roger was even hired, though their difference in the salaries showed that time didn't mean that much on the business. Unless you were one of the showgirls.

"Lisa!" She heard the familiar voice call her name, in a severe tone. She followed it, laying her eyes on the men she had just thought about. He had a cigarette hanging from his lips. Stress lines on his forehead, and his hands occupied with files. She glanced down at them, spotting a girl's picture. That was never a good sign. "You're thirty minutes late."

"I know, Roger. I'm sorry. I had a prob-"

"It's fine honey." He said, laying the files in his hands on the nearest table. He took the cigarette off his mouth, blowing off smoke. "I'm pushing your show to one."

Her chin dropped. The girl who did the show at midnight was the main attraction, the one who made the most money. The spot which had been Tori's for years, she was the main attraction. She was the best girl, and the best girl was never pushed to an hour later. "What?!" She said, in a high pitched tone. "Just because I was late?! C'mon Roger you gotta be reasonable here-"

"It has nothin' to do with the time." He scratched his head with his left hand, while put out the cigarette with the right. "We got new girls coming in."

"The new ones always dance at eleven!" Tori pleaded, like a child who had just gotten their candy stolen. "I'm the only one who dances at midnight."

"Not today, you're not." He told her, putting an end to the discussion. "Go undress and get ready, the stupid college kids are already making a fuss outside." He turned around, grabbed the files and walked away. Tori slowly made her way to the dressing room, with a grimace on her face. She thought about the previous times girls had come in, young and new. Excited to dance and make some cash - at eleven.

This was not a good sign.

* * *

**A/N:** SOOOOOOO! Hello guys! I'm so sorry for the late upload, but I traveled and had absolutely no time to write! Plus, what I had already written of this chapter got lost so I had to start all over and... Urgh. Anyways, I don't really like this one, but I had to give you guys something. Also, thank you for the reviews on the last chapter! **The more reviews I get the faster I update,** and as soon as I saw I had 10 I sat down and forced myself to write! It really motivates me. Final thought, make sure to check out '**Say Something**' by '**Victoria Darling**', it's awesome!** Love,**

- Kiribati


	4. Chapter 3-1

Venus was her name. With olive skin, and deep brown hair that cascaded down her body. She wore tiny underwear and hope in her eyes. At midnight, the club started playing a '_50 cent'_ song. A cheap trick to get the men going before they even saw the girls. A few seconds later the new girls stepped in on the stage. There were five of them, but all of those who were watching were blinded by one girl. Venus. She moved like she was in her own world. Forgetting about the sweaty man in bachelor parties, and dirty executives cheating on their wives. Venus was dancing, and like the goddess of love she exhaled beauty and sex.

Tori put down her glass of brandy, and stared at the stage. It was like opening a window to the past. She saw the full of energy and life girl she once was, desperate for a new start. Content with her new job. She grabbed her glass, and walked back to the dressing room. It was almost one, and she needed to get ready. She shook the girl out of her head. In the ten years she had worked there, only once a newcomer got the midnight show. Herself. She wasn't about to lose it.

She applied the body glow, dark makeup and put on the tiny lingerie. She looked good, most of all she looked young. "Lisa!" Roger yelled, and she knew that was her cue. "Those new girls are good..." He told her pointing at the stage. "You got some competition now." Her grabbed Tori's ass as the stage went black. The girl quickly turn around, and slapped him across the face. Her song began playing before he yell at her.

_"Shot to the heart and you're to blame_  
_Darlin' you give love, a bad name"_

The stage light back up, and Tori started doing what she was best at. Though her boss's had stuck to her mind. Analyzing the crowd she realized a new energy coming from the audience. They had had too much to drink, and their wallets were empty. There was no point on giving her life at dancing, if she wasn't making enough money. As soon as the stage darkened to introduce the new song, Tori rushed out. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Roger yelled, grabbing her by her shoulders. "Go back there!" He pushed back to the stage, just as the lights were turned back on.

"You three!" Roger yelled, backstage. "Go dance."

Tori left the stage as the first girl walked in. Roger shut the curtains, and pulled Tori further from the stage. "Care to explain?!" He said, trying to keep his voice low. Although he wasn't hiding his anger.

"I'm not dancing at one. The men are completely worn out." Roger chuckled, looking down at her. "Tomorrow, when everything's back to normal, I'll dance again."

"Sweetie." He said, running his fingers on her face. She took a step back, disgusted. "Boss just called, Venus is getting midnight." Her chin dropped. He finally looked down, washing the sarcastic smile off his face. "Look, you either get one or you get none."

"Roger, I have the lists of songs I want to dance to." A soft, feminine voice said. The tall girl stopped between them, holding a leather whip. "Also, is it okay if I use this?"

"It's perfect, Venus." Tori shot the girl a look. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and the makeup had been washed from her face. She wore simple clothes, and wedding ring. She didn't even recognize her nemesis, who was clearly looking to give out the same impression Tori did. They both were good, and normal girls in real life. But you better not mess with them on the pole. The girl had one advantage on Tori though, she was the one dancing at midnight.

"Roger." Tori reached for his arm. "You can't take midnight away from me, it's my show. It's been my show for years."

"Exactly, years."

The words hit her hard. _'Years'_, she was starting to be too old for the business. She knew this day was coming, and what she feared the most had to be done. "Then I'm out."

This time it was her boss who was caught out of guard. "You can't leave!" He yelled, getting mad. "What are you going to do if you leave this job?" He said, dry. "Go back to the street like when I found you?!"

Tori stood still. She could not believe he went there. It took her back to a dark period of her life, one she had put away.

Nobody told Tori what it would feel like when her world came crashing down on her. Much less warned her of how it would happen, and how young she was going to be. When she thought about it, she thought it would be like in the movies. Something would go terribly wrong, she would get drunk and cry, then move on the next day. Maybe hook up with a stranger to add a little more drama. Tori hadn't figure out that life wasn't like the movies, at all.

The bad things started creeping in on her. One little thing after another. She lost her favorite shirt, and gained a few pounds. Got dumped by her ten-month boyfriend. Nothing she couldn't move on from. Then the bigger things started happening. Her agent told her to lose weight, she wasn't being able to pay for her acting classes and her parents stopped paying her rent. These things started weighing on her. Once the big things accumulate, the small things become unbearable. She ran out of her favorite limited edition lip gloss, and she cried for an hour. A glass fell off the counter and broke, and she curse herself for being stupid. A bad hair day was a enough for her not to leave bed, unless she had run out of cigarettes.

Her agent dropped her, and she had to work three jobs to pay rent. She stopped going to auditions, and completely gave up on her dream career. Life became exhausting. Day after day the bad thoughts took over her mind. There was nothing for her to live for. She would never accomplish anything L.A. The entire town was a constant reminder of her failed life. How she never went to college because she was certain she would make it. How she didn't get any one of the parts she auditioned for, because there was always something wrong with her. How her parents were ashamed of her.

On an early Wednesday morning, Tori flipped through the pages of the scrapbook she made during senior year. She took the light cigarette from her mouth, and held it between her thumb and index finger. She opened the first page, where a skinny girl with a big smile pointed at her locker. The words 'make it shine' burned away, as Tori pressed the cigarette against the photo.

That day she decided to leave Los Angeles. She packed everything she needed and threw in the trunk of her car. She drove north, leaving California behind. Though her mind wasn't set for a new chance at life. She had no plans, no aspirations. The only thing she cared about was making enough money to pay for gas, and keep driving.

It was the middle of the summer when she met Mike. He approached her at a gas station, as she filled the tank. He was twenty years older than her, and looking to go back to Canada. Since she had no destination, she decided to take him. At least she wasn't going to be alone. The drive was quick, but to them it felt like an eternity. Mike fell in love with her right away, and she... Like everything else in her life, just went with it. After they crossed the border, she moved in with him since she had nowhere else to go. The apartment was next to a train station, over a bar.

Mike introduced her to a new world, with a solution for all of her problems. The green herb, for when she was angry or stressed. The white powder, that gave her confidence and energy. The thick liquid, that when on the veins made her feel infinite. Soon the money got short, and Mike told her she could fix it. She met with one of his friends, who promised good money. If she agreed to his terms. She did, finding a new talent.

It was only three months later, when Tori realized the life she had been living. She was in a clients house, going down on him for a couple of needles with fresh product. She stopped the motion, and he grabbed her hair. "I won't pay you, if you don't do me right." He pushed her head back and forth. She found the strength to pull away, getting up dizzy. "HEY!" He yelled, zipping up his pants. "I'm not done with you!" She grabbed her purse, stumbling out the door. That day she sat in her car, crying for two hours. It was also the last day she saw Mike.

One year later she had found a new life. She lived in a tiny two bedroom apartment in downtown Vancouver, with three roommates. She slept on the couch. Her job was to sing. She took her guitar and stayed up from nine am to nine pm downtown, with a small hat for tips. She didn't make half the amount of money she needed, and it was starting to get tiring.

That's why she always saw stripping as a blessing to her. One day she was in the middle of a 'Beatles' song, when a fat men approached her. He handed her his card, with a phone number and 'The Avenue' written in deep red. Roger was his name, and she thanked him for the opportunity.

Now it was almost ten years later, and the same men who once saved her was sending her away.

She understood she was too old, and that dancing at one was better than not dancing at all. Although her pride spoke louder. She left him standing there alone. Going back to the dressing room, she stared at all the girls, at the hot lights and strong cigarette smell. She asked one of the girls for a plastic bag, and threw everything she kept there in a bag. She left 'The Avenue' like she had left all of her previous jobs, serious and certain that she would never go back. But instead of feeling freedom or at least some sort of relief, she felt as if her world was about to crash once again.

She walked across the empty parking lot, and waited for the next bus. Since it was early, she didn't recognize the driver. The bus was overcrowded and she had to stand through the entire way. Life without her job was already completely different. She reached her stop, and hopped off the bus. As she looked for her keys, her bag vibrated. She grabbed her cellphone, to find a new text message.

_"We're having lunch tomorrow, and this time I'm choosing the place. Beck."_

* * *

A/N: Hello guys! I hope you liked this chapter! Just so y'all know, I already have the next one written out. So, as soon as I get** five or more reviews I'm going to upload it**. Love,

- Kiribati


	5. Chapter 4-1

The sun was beginning to set as she walked in Beck's apartment. She was stunned with the size of it, being at least three times bigger than hers. "It's enormous." She told him, walking in. "And weirdly well furnished for a guy."

He shrugged. "I hired an interior designer." She nodded her head, as if it all made sense. "Do you want something to drink?"

She turned back around, to face him. "Do you have tea?"

He frowned, worried that he didn't have it. He wanted to please the girl he was dating, and now he wrote a mental note to buy tea. Although he knew he was probably going to forget it. "I have coffee?"

"It'll do." She smiled, friendly.

She followed him to the kitchen. They walked across another living room, a dining room and finally through a black wooden double doors. His kitchen was big, and clean. The small table had a single plate on it, that looked untouched. He opened the top cabin, which had several glasses and mugs. All of them transparent and simple. Normally Tori would think that they were made out of glass, but considering everything else in his house they could be crystal. She hoped they weren't, though. Her clumsy self didn't do well with expensive, and easy to break things.

"Can I choose a capsule for you?"

"Capsule?" Tori asked, and he showed her a small box with dozens of them. "Right, fancy coffee. You can choose."

"More importantly, easy to make coffee." She cuckled, sitting down at the table. He took two purple capsules out, and turned on the machine. It didn't take more than a few seconds for it to be ready.

As Tori looked around, she noticed how empty the kitchen was. There were no appliances, except for a microwave and toaster. Everything looked untouched, except for the coffee machine and the fridge. She looked at the corner, and saw a big trash can. There was nothing but take-out bags hanging out of it. The though that she cooked every single meal she ate a home, and he apparently had never cooked anything at all.

He placed the clear mug with hot coffee in front of her. "So..." He began, but was cut off by his own ringing cellphone. He took it out of his pocket. The screen read "Mr. Harries", he rolled his eyes and ignored it.

"Who was that?" Tori asked, curious.

"My former boss, he invited me to a dinner party I really don't want to go."

She smiled, jealous. "It must be nice to have a boss who treats you equally." She said, but truly thinking that it would be nice to simply have a boss. Or be your own boss, as long as you had a job. Which she no longer had.

Tori had spent the previous night figuring out her finances. From the moment she stepped inside her house, panic struck her. She didn't want to go back to the street, or have roommates. Her life was good as it was, and the last thing she wanted was for it to change. She did the math, and thanked herself for always saving money. She had enough to pay her rent for at least three months, and live somewhat comfortably. She would have to cut down some of the shopping she liked to do, and the special teeth whitening treatment she had. Other than that things would stay the same. Unless she couldn't find a job.

"Now he does." Beck told her, and she snapped out of her thoughts. "You should've seen when I first came in, he treated me like a five year old." He sigh. "It was only after I appeared on _Forbes_ that-"

"What did you say?" Tori asked him, shocked. She tried to figure out if he had said that to impress her. Though he genuinely looked surprised himself. "By _Forbes_ do you mean... The magazine?"

"Yes." He rolled his eyes. He hated talking about it. "Now, can we change topics?"

"No way! What were you in for?"

He scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "I don't want to tell you."

She widen her eyes, even more excited. "If you don't tell me, I can simply type it on google and find out."

"Fine." He finished the coffee in one sip, and got up.

She followed him to his office. It was the size of her living room, with a big glass table and a leather chair. Everything else, which wasn't much, was evidently perfectly stored. Tori wondered why every room was so empty, and artificial. It seemed as if he had nothing that really was his. No personal objects. He opened a big drawer, and pointed inside.

"There they are, happy?"

She rushed towards him, to look. "You've been in more than one?!" She took them all out, and sat down in the leather chair. They looked untouched, with no creases or stains. "You were one of the most eligible bachelors of the year... Five times." She raised her eyebrows. If someone had told her she would date a man, who had been on Forbes magazine, she would have asked them if they had smoked crack. And if she could have some. "Richest under thirty... How are you single?"

She gave him the magazines back, and he left them carelessly on the table. "I'm always busy with work."

They went back to the living room, sitting down on the big couch. "If you're so embarrassed, why did you accept being in the magazine?"

He shrugged, slightly brushing his fingers through her hair. "It's pathetic, but my Mom made me do it."

"Your mother?"

He smiled shily. "I don't have kids, so she didn't have anything to show of to her friends." He nodded his head. "While they show pictures of cute babies, she brags about my career. She has every cover framed, and hung on the walls of her house."

"It's sweet." Tori told him, kissing him briefly. "My parents never showed me off to anyone, I believe. Though they love to take me out to brunch... More times than I enjoy."

Beck chuckled. "We're complete opposites. My parents love to brag about my achievements, but we don't really care that much for each other. I don't miss them, and they don't miss me." Beck told her, now running his fingers down her neck. "We see each other twice a year, and it's enough."

She rested her head on her palm, still looking at him. "How do you know that they don't miss you?" Tori asked, as he reached for her free hand. They intertwined their fingers, and she now looked down.

"I was never close with my parents." She listened to his words with attention. It was fascinating to her, how he opened up so easily. She wondered if he was like that with everyone else, or just her. "We see each other once every semester and it's enough."

He spoke lightly, knowing his life had been completely ordinary. He told her about high school, and that when he was sixteen their parents let him live in their parking lot. He had his meals at home, but spent most time in the big RV his Dad had bought. He spent his days with his girlfriend, and rehearsing for school plays. He told her about a club he was part of, in which he was always fighting his fears. Sometimes fighting a Gorilla, literally. He pierced his own ear at home, and got a hid tattoo from his parents. He then told her his tattoo was sometimes, the only reminder that he was once a teenager.

"Let me see it!" Tori asked, with a smile on her face. He raised the left sleeve on his shirt, up till his shoulder.

"That's it, and I thought it was the coolest thing." Tori ran her fingers over it. It was a small compass, in white ink. It stood out against his olive skin, but was perfectly placed.

"I like it." She told him.

They went on talking about the past. He told her about the only reason he went to college: to find himself.

Beck chuckled. "Who knew I would still be looking 'till this day?"

Beck was a pretty forgetful guy. The only birthday date he knew was his own birthday, and even when he was younger he would only remember Holidays looking at the calendar he kept above his TV. Days when Beck showed up to school, to find it was closed weren't rare. That's why he thought it was so weird how he could remember all of his lines. Even months after doing a play, he could still reenact in perfectly. Nowadays he had replaced all of the play memories with contracts, and business deals. So it was funny to him, that he remembered that day so specifically. The day in which he made a choice that affected his life, changing it.

It was the last week of the debate classes he was taking. It had been his favorite subject out of all he had taken in college, he liked it even more than theater. The professor loved him, and he was always the top student. The lowest grade he had ever gotten was an A-, and he didn't even try that hard. The debate was about the legalization of drugs. The class was separated in two teams, pro and against. Beck as in the pro team, knowing he got the debate in the bag.

The professor - who that day walked in class being completely against the legalization - walked out agreeing with all of Beck's arguments. Later that same day, he ran into him at Campus. He told Beck about an excellent internship, and that it was a chance of a lifetime. He worked for the same company as he did his entire life. He started out with public relations, and climbed up the empire stairs until he was the face of it. Persuading people all over the world, that the Trump Empire was powerful and great.

Silence took over, before their eyes met. Beck kissed her by surprise. She was distracted, and thinking about her bills. She loved being pulled away from her thoughts, specially in such a good way. She gently rested her hands on either sides of his face, kissing him back. He smiled as he hovered above her, her back resting against the arm of the couch. Their skin touching, and lips melting.

Tori rested a hand on his chest, and he pulled away for a brief second. Her head told her to stop. To push him away, and never comeback. Her past experiences spoke for the worse, they promised a toxic relationship. That would leave her broken and alone. Her heart promised joy, a change for the best. A future in which she wouldn't be so lonely.

Looking up at his eyes, her hand slipped away. She could be making a huge mistake, but she was willing to risk it.

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A/N: I'M SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY! I've had a couple rough weeks and couldn't sit down to wright. Sometimes real life issues get in the way, but I'll try to be consistent with the chapters now. I know this is shitty but please review, if you're not too mad at me. Love,

- Kiribati


	6. Chapter 5-1

_A/N: THE SONG IS RUN BY RHODES, AND YOU AND I BY LADY GAGA._

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It had been almost a month since Beck and Tori started dating. Even though a couple of Wednesdays had passed, that had been the first time Tori let him watch. She didn't like to sing in front of people who were close to her. Ever since she gave up on being a pop star a movie star, or overall successful. She had become scared of critics, of course she had gotten bad feedback since then, but it hit her harder when it came from people she cared about.

The Pompeii Pub was a small place, on a big street. It was almost impossible to find it, unless you knew exactly were it was. It was on the second floor of a small, old building. The ground floor was a record store, and inside it there was a flight of stairs. They led up to the second floor, where the café was. Though it had no sign, or any indication that it was there, the place was always crowded.

Tori had found out about it a couple of years before. One of her former roommates used to perform on Mondays, and she went there to support him. It was an indie rock night. There were young adults, in stylish clothes having fine wine. A few old couples, drinking fancy coffee and singing along like they were eighteen again. Small groups of friends with beer, that stayed there the entire night talking. The Pompeii café had an amazing vibe, and Tori fell in love with it instantly. The owner had a spot open on Wednesday, and auditions were starting the next day. The salary was made out of tips, and they could sing anything they wanted as long as it stuck to the theme of the night. Tori was in a place in her life where she didn't need to earn any more money, so she auditioned. It had been a long time since she stopped singing, and she missed it. She got the job, and never left it since.

The stage was round, and surrounded by tables. The red brick walls, had fairy lights and old vinyls hung on the wall. Old, and cheap decor. Though it seemed to work perfectly with everything else. There were four columns, one in each corner. They were painted black, and were signed in silver by thousands of people. Some simply wrote there names on it, other left a small phrase or poem. It gave a special touch to it all, a personal feeling from everyone who went there. The coffee was good, and the drinks were strong.

Beck looked down at the address on his phone, to make sure it was the right place. He parked his car on the street, and checked his clock. He cursed himself for being late. She started singing at seven, and it was almost an hour after that. He took a turn to stop by the florist, and when he got back to the road the streets were packed. He was stuck in traffic for forty minutes. He shrugged. There nothing he could do about it now, apart from apologizing. He grabbed the bouquet of white gardenia, and cross the street towards the records store.

He walked across it, and headed to a flight of stairs like Tori had told him to do. There was a black curtain that separated the store, from the dark stairs. He couldn't hear a sound, but at the top he could see double glass doors. Behind them there was bar, and a small sign with a volcano and the word 'Pompeii' written on it. As soon as he opened them, the sweet sound of his girlfriends voice took over.

_"Do you_  
_remember when we used to run?_  
_Sometimes I think alone,_  
_I dream under the sun._  
_And I know..._  
_It's a long long time ago now,_  
_But I miss it, I miss it so...  
__Oh why do we run, run, run  
__So far from each other?"_

Beck smiled. She stood there, with her eyes shut. He had never seen her so focused, so peacefully. She wore a long black skirt, and a black cropped top. Her heels were red, and gave her an extra ten inches. Her hair was loose down her shoulders, and she carried a hidden smile on her lips. She felt the words slip through her mouth, as the pianist hit the perfect notes. She finished the last note, and opened her eyes. Some got up, and left coins and small bills on the hat in front of her. A smile was printed on her face, when she saw him. Sitting in a single table, trying to hide the bouquet that was in his hands.

She looked back at the band, and told them quietly what she was going to sing next. They nodded, starting the beat. She grabbed the microphone, and took a deep breath. "This song is dedicated to someone really special to me." She said. "Someone once told me that the best kind of love is with the most unexpected person, at the most unexpected time. I'm starting to believe it."

_"It's been a long time since I came around_  
_Been a long time but I'm back in town  
You taste like whiskey when yoü kiss me awe_  
_I'd give anything again to be your babydoll_  
_And this time I'm not leavin' without you"_

Beck recognized the song. A pop hit from a few years back. He was hearing it in a whole new way now. Tori had changed the rhythm, slowed it down. Almost like a smooth jazz. She had her eyes on him, closing them to hit the higher notes. He smiled, surprised. He remembered her voice from high school, when she did upbeat songs with that guy... He couldn't remember his name. But he felt as if it was the first time he really paid attention to it, how good she sounded. Maybe it was only because she was looking at him in such way he couldn't resist.

_"Sit back down on the couch where we_  
_Made love the first time_  
_And yoü said to me_  
_Somethin', somethin' about this place_  
_Somethin' 'bout lonely nights_  
_And my lipstick on your face"_

The pub quieted down. As Tori breathed in for the last verse. She smiled, letting go of the microphone. The yellow lights gave her a special glow, and all eyes were now on her. She ignored all of them, being able to focus on only one.

_"It's been a long time since I came around_  
_Been a long time but I'm back in town_  
_And this time I'm not leavin' without you"_

People started clapping. Again, some people tipped her. Beck got up from the table, carrying the bouquet. He was planning on giving it to her at the end of the night, but couldn't help himself. He walked up to the stage, and wrapped her up in his arms, kissing her. The costumers clapped and whistled. Tori kissing him again when he handed her the bouquet, wondering how he knew that her favorite flowers were white Gardenia. She rested the bouquet on top of the Piano, and Beck went back to the table.

She went on singing for another hour, mostly love songs. When she finished the last song, she grabbed the hat full of tips. She had gotten more money than usual, maybe her little show with Beck had inspired the clients. She turned back at the pianist, and split the tip half in half as usual. Someday she let him have all of it, she sang there because of the fun not the money. Though now that she didn't have a job, she needed the forty bucks. Comparing that little amount of money, to what she used to make made her sad. She had yet to figure out what she was going to work with next.

Beck had asked her about the job a couple of times. Why she always spent the night with him, not at the club. Making very clear that he liked the first option a lot more. She told him she was taking a break, that dancing got a bit overwhelming and tiring. He was happy to hear that. He didn't want to share her with anyone else. The truth was that Tori didn't miss it, she could live a happy life without ever walking in The Avenue again. But her constant paranoia about money wasn't worth it. Stripping paid more than any jobs she could apply for, without a college degree or any qualifications.

The couple walked out of the records store, hand in hand. Tori held her bouquet close. "Where do you want to eat?" He asked her, taking out his car keys.

"I don't feel like going to a restaurant." She told him. He opened the car door for her, and she went inside. "Let's just stop by a supermarket, and grab some food to go."

Beck looked over at her. She had never refused a meal out before. "You sure?"

She nodded, and he drove off. She gave him instructions to nearest _Whole Foods_. They drove for ten minutes until reaching their destination. Tori hopped off the car, leaving her flowers inside. "I know you hate this place, but I'll find something healthy and good for you."

He wrapped his arm around her waist. "I doubt it."

"If you didn't know it was healthy, you would love it." She grinned. He was like a child with anything non-fat. If it wasn't a burger or fried, he most likely wasn't going to eat it.

"I don't like lettuce, and everything you eat tastes like lettuce."

She broke free from him, grabbing a cart. "We'll see. You're gonna love what I pick out for you." She smiled, and he reached for her arm, pulling her back to him. She let go of the cart, surprised. It strolled off until hitting a light pole. She looked up at him. "What is it?"

He ran his fingers through her hair. "What you said, back in the pub?"

Her heart froze. She knew she had said too much. "What about it?"

"Do you mean it, about... Love?"

Tori nodded shyly. She figured it was best to get it out of the way. Be real, and if he didn't feel the same way she would deal with it. That was the first healthy relationship she had had since high school, and it was moving fast. Her feelings had developed quickly, and she didn't know what to think of it. She trusted him, and left it on his hands to make the decision. She though of a way of telling him she loved him in a way that he could ignore. He chose to do the opposite. "I...I did."

"I do too." He said, like a small child. Vulnerable and uncertain.

"You do?" She asked, smiling. Instead of answering he kissed her deeply. She broke away, bringing her lips close to his ear. "Then love me slowly. So it lasts." She whispered. He kissed her once more, before she pulled away, holding his hand. "We just said I love you for the first time in front of _Wholefoods_." She told him, and he rolled his eyes. "It must be a sign."

"I love you." He said, as they walked inside the store. "But I sure as hell don't love all this... Lettuce."

She giggled, and as they walked across the grains isle he pinned her against the wall. Kissing her again and again. He hated healthy food, but he loved every single can of soy behind her. She pushed him away, with swollen lips. "Beck..." She said, with widen eyes.

"What?" He said, shrugging. "We're in love, we can do whatever we want... Wherever we want."

She nodded her hair, slightly slapping his chest. They paid for their items, and went home. The food was left aside, as they went directly to his bedroom.

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So I hope this chapter makes up for the long time I took to upload. I hope all of you like this one, love

- Kiribati


	7. PART II - OFF WE GO

**PART II - Off We Go**

Tori opened the fridge and took out a carton of milk. She looked inside for the blueberry parfait she had bought the previous night. Those were the only two edible items in his house, that weren't meat or greasy. She poured the milk on the coffee machine, to make a latte. She waited for the hot beverage while eating half of the parfait, then putting it back on the fridge. The machine beeped, indicating that it was ready. She took the clear glass mug, and took small sips off of it. It was burning hot, but it really was good coffee. She couldn't think about the price of it for her life, but if she had Beck's paycheck she would definitely have one. Or two. His house was so big, maybe one in the kitchen and another in the living room would be nice. She chuckled at her own thought.

After finishing her breakfast, she went to Beck's closet. Her gym bag had a few clothes in there, since she knew she would stay for at least a couple of days. She took out black yoga pants, and a green sports bra. While Beck was sound a sleep, Tori was getting ready to work out. After quitting her job, she had stopped her workout routine. Feeling unmotivated, and like there was no point in spending hours at the gym. That was over now. She reminded herself that she worked out, because of her health not job. She began working out again, and instantly felt better. She was back at her game.

She grabbed her headphones, and set her gym playlist. She turned up the volume, and danced her way to the living room. She spun around, getting pumped up before heading out. The electronic music was blasting. She went back to his bedroom, brushed her teeth. Kissed Beck in the forehead - as gentle as possible - hoping he wouldn't wake up, and tied her shoelaces.

She carelessly opened the front door, running into a person. "Oh!" Tori let out, frightened.

"I'm sorry!" A tall girl said, standing in front of her. "I should have called before coming!"

"It's...okay." Tori said, straightening herself. She looked up and down at the girl. She had long, brown hair tied up in a pony-tail. Fair skin, with a few freckles on her face, and nude lipstick. Tori felt the jealousy kicking in, that girl was pretty. Really pretty. "Who are you?"

"I'm Elena, Mr. Oliver's assistant." The girl said. "Is he home?"

Tori held the door, not sure if she should let her in. "He's still sleeping." She told her. Elena was five years younger than Tori, and naïve. She wore a floral dress and deep red leggings. She had a red trench coat, folded and hung on her left arm. Most importantly, she had a ring on her left hand.

"Oh." She said. "I'll just... I'll come back later then. He really needs to sign these documents." She said uncertain, indicating a briefcase on her right hand.

Tori felt bad for the girl. She also wanted to know more about her, to see what was the relationship between her and 'Mr. Oliver'. "You can come in, leave them in his office."

She smiled. "That should do, thank you." She walked in, her not so high heels clacking against the floor.

"I'm Tori, by the way. His girlfriend." Elena smiled, looking truly happy.

"Nice to meet you! Are you from around here?!"

Tori frowned, finding her question a bit odd. "Yeah, I'm live in Gastown."

Elena widen her eyes. She left her briefcase over the couch. "How are you two dealing with, you know." Now she was even more confused. The secretary took out a pile of files. "Can I leave these in his office?"

"Yeah sure..." Tori said. Elena walked away, she had been over Beck's apartment a few times. To drop files and figure out some scheduling emergencies, so she knew where everything was. By everything she meant the office, and front door. Her visits were always short, and strictly for work. "What did you mean by 'you know'?" She asked, following the secretary.

"With the distance and all..." She began organizing the papers on the table. "The only reason why I'm not going to Chicago, it's because I don't think I can't handle being away from my husband."

"Chicago?"

Elena froze. She had said too much. She slowly looked up at Tori, if Beck wasn't away she would surely lose her job for it. Two years working for him, never saying a word. Now that she did, she screwed up. She grabbed her briefcase, anxious. "I should go." She walked pass Tori, heading to the front door.

"Wait!" Tori said, chasing after her. She held the door, not letting Elena out. "Is he moving? To Chicago?"

She took a deep breath, with a sorrowful look. "About a month and a half ago, was promoted. He's going to work as a CEO, in Chicago." Tori moved away from the door, in shock. "I'm sorry." She said, before walking out.

Beck woke up half past eleven. The bed was empty, but Tori's things were still thrown around the room. He slowly got up, and went to the bathroom. He took a quick shower, brushed his teeth and put on some proper clothes. He combed his hair, and put on contacts. He looked out the window, it was a nice sunny morning. He walked out of his bedroom, looking for her.

"You're moving to Chicago?"

He stopped by the door frame. "Fuck..."

"When?" She asked, trying to keep it together. He ran his fingers through his hair, silent. "When?!"

"In four weeks." He walked towards her, sitting down beside her. She was stiff, looking straight ahead. She couldn't bear to look at him. "I had completely forgot about it... I didn't think thing would go this far between us... I-I'm sorry."

"Don't." She said, getting up. "Don't say you're sorry! You knew you were moving away! You knew this... Us! You knew we were going to end!"

He got up, and she took a step back. "Let me explain-"

"No!" She breathed out, trying not to yell. "I don't want to hear it. I think..." Silence took over for a couple of minutes. Tori breathed fast, thoughts rushing through her mind. What good was it to be with him for four weeks, and then break up? It was simply going to put off her suffering. Long distance relationships are a myth, at least that's what she believed. "I can't do this, Beck."

"What?!"

"I can't be with you for four weeks! I can't love you, everyday, and then lose you. I can't handle that!"

She rushed towards his room, and into his closet. He went after her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting my things." She strapped the gym bag on her shoulder.

As she was about to go out the door, Beck held her arm. "I'm not going to let you go."

She looked at him, frustrated. "You have to."

"I love you." He said, and her eyes filled up with tears. "We can make it work."

The gym bag fell off her shoulder. "We can't."

He let go of her arm. "Trust me, trust us."

A tear ran down her cheek. He wrapped his arms around her. "I can't lose you." She said, with her head against his chest.

He slightly pulled away, looking down at her. "We going to make it work, believe me." He kissed her softly. "I love you." He said, once more.

She rested her forehead against his. "Then love me slowly." She told him, before kissing him deeply.

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A/N: A little bit of drama for you guys! I hope you liked this. PLEASE REVIEW!

- Kiribati


	8. Chapter 1-2

The next three weeks that followed flew by. The couple stayed together for almost every minute, of everyday. Tori would wake up early, workout and come back to prepare breakfast. She tried making him eat healthy, but at the end he just rather eat sugary cereal. Beck would stay in bed until she was ready to eat, he read the paper in silence, and she hummed to random songs. Afterwards, they dressed up to go out. On lazy days, they would lay in bed until lunch time. Watch movies, and talk about whatever was on their minds that day. Sometimes, they ended up talking about the future. Tori cried, and Beck tried to promise her they would be okay. They made love.

During the afternoon, Beck always found something different for them to do. They went to the anthropology museum to grant Tori's wishes, and whale watching in Victoria Island. On the evenings, they drank fine wine and watched movies at home. They made love again. They switched between their houses every couple of days. Tori rather stay at his, because of all the luxuries. Beck rather stay at hers, because it felt like more of a home.

On a couple of days, they went to parties. The first one was in an small apartment downtown, hosted by Tori's first roommate. There were no than thirty guests, more than Beck was disappointed that there wasn't any whiskey, but the nachos were good. He stayed close to Tori the entire night, without talking much. He felt out of place. Everyone behaved like they were six, or even ten years younger. Straight our of college - or never have studied at one - complaining about low salaries and bad bosses. They were all up to the latest TV-shows, and bought their clothes at thrift shops. Tori blended in easily. Though he noticed she clearly looked older. Like she had lived through more. They left the party four hours later, arriving home as the sun rose.

The second one was at Mr. Harrie's house, or better yet, mansion. Beck told her about how the women dressed, and she figured she had to buy appropriate clothes. Beck went with her to pay for it, against her will. They stopped at a few stores, until deciding to go to a personal shopper. Tori had no idea what high class millionaires wore, and her boyfriend was beginning to get bored. She went to a designer store, and walked out with a knee length black skirt. A white silk shirt tucked in, and a blazer. He bought her a white-gold necklace with a black diamond - which was a surprise - and for shoes she wore the MiuMiu shoes she already owned. She tied her hair in a low, messy bun. Her makeup was simple and neat. She tried her hardest to look conservative and responsible. Even though her best efforts seemed to go to waste. As soon as they arrived, all eyes were on her.

It took a while for her to understand why. She understood the men, they exhaled the same emotions as the ones she used to dance for. Except in quick glances when their wives weren't looking. As the first couple of champagne glasses went by, she finally realized why she felt as if she was being burned. They were all intimidated by her. Their behaviour was just like the girls that danced with her. She was the most attractive, and had the one thing all those woman wanted: youth. It had never crossed Tori's mind that strippers, and multi-millionaires would have so much in common.

Beck introduced his girlfriend to the house owners, and was relief when Mr. Ha- Steve didn't recognize her. Cocktails were served, and Tori asked the waiter for a glass of brandy. A men in a navy suit talked about finances, and his wife about the kids. She smiled politely, taking more and more sips of her drink. She couldn't be any more bored. The deserts buffet opened, and suddenly all the men left the room. Beck had warned Tori they would - to play billiard and talk about their mistresses. The woman stayed at the grand living room, eating french pastries and complaining about their husbands. Not that particular day, though.

Tori sat down on the couch, as the women snuck up on her. Before she realized it, they were all around her. Asking her questions and eating tiramisu. They watched her as if she was fresh meat. "So, what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a singer." Tori said, overwhelmed by the looks of envy and despair.

"A singer?!" Another one exclaimed. "How did you manage to land Beck?"

"Beck and I have known each other for a long time." She told them, short and dry. She began to get over their curiosity.

"I'm sure that tiny figure of yours helped!" Another one, with lipstick on her teeth said. "You sure are moving to Chicago with him, aren't you?" Tori sigh. "Because how else are you keeping your eyes o him? Some other twenty year old will steal him away."

She opened her mouth to answer, ready to tell each of them to screw themselves. Her phone rang interrupting her foul thoughts. The name 'Roger' read on the screen. Tori took a deep breath. "Will you ladies give me a moment?"

She grabbed her purse and walked away. She heard them whispering behind her, and couldn't care less. She headed out the backyard. There were kids and teenagers there. As soon as the families walked in, they split up. "What do you want?"

_"Whoa! Don't go rude on me, sweetheart."_ He said.

"What is it?" Tori insisted.

_"Fine, you're in a bad mood."_ He inhaled. _"Lisa, baby. We need you."_

Tori flinched at the sound of her stage name. There were few people at 'The Avenue' who knew her real name, and she hardly ever heard it. She spent years working there, being known only as Lisa. It felt like decades had passed since she left. "Why?"

_"Some of the customers are asking for you. Boss says we're losing money."_

Tori smiled. "Is Venus not taking care of them? I thought she could handle the midnight show!"

She heard Roger exhaling the cigarette. "_Venus is old news, gone. Some business men tried somethin' and it scared her off._" He inhaled again. _"She wasn't going to last much anyway. She did blow like crazy. Her nose bled and it wasn't pretty."_ Tori stayed silent, wanting to hear more of it. _"Lisa, honey. Midnight is yours if you want it."_

"I'll think about it." Was all she said, before hanging up. Of course she was going to take the job back, but se wanted Roger to suffer for a while.

She leaned against the house, watching the young ones. There were dozens of them, from ages one to eighteen. None old enough to mix with their parents. There were nannies all around, in white uniforms kneeling next to the small ones. The teenagers were dressed in bandage dresses, and white pants. They sat in a group by the pool, hiding a bottle of champagne and holding hands. They took of their promise rings, and went inside one of the many guest bedrooms. Heirs dating heirs, creating new empires.

"Are you dreading this?" Tori jumped, looking behind her. She found her boyfriend with an easy smile, smelling like cigars.

"Just a little bit." She told him, smiling.

He held her hand. "If we leave now, Steve won't notice."

Tori smiled. They left the party straight to his apartment. Watched a movie, drank wine. Made fun of the people they were with earlier. They made love.

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A/N: Hello! I hope you guys liked this. **PLEASE REVIEW!** I really hate getting one or two reviews. I know people have told me to not base my writing on the number of reviews I get, but how else would I know what you think of my story? Also I have an **announcement.** This is my last Bori story ever. I am re-writing some of my old stories, such as Fix Me and I plan on starting to re-write Back In Time. But this is for sure my last original. I just thought I should let the few of you who still seem to like Bori know. Love,

- Kiribati


	9. Chapter 2-2

Morning rose, and Tori's alarm soon went off. She got up, and took a quick shower to wake up. Got dressed, and went out. Instead of running ten miles like she was used to, she was going to the doctor. She hadn't been feeling well for a few days, and Tylenol wasn't helping. She felt sick, and light-headed. There was a flu spreading around town, and she was afraid she might have caught it. She needed to be healthy, and perfect before going back to 'The Avenue'.

Beck woke up after noon. He got a message from Tori, saying she wasn't going to be able to make it to lunch. He slept for another hour. When he finally found the strength to get up, he went straight to the kitchen. He opened the fridge looking for food, but it seemed like nothing was edible. There were green foods for Tori, and a pizza that looked like it was three weeks old.

He went back to his room, and changed into decent clothes. He grabbed his keys, and went out. He drove by an '_A&W'_, and decided to eat fast-food for lunch. He asked for the biggest combo. A large burger, large fries and fried chicken. If Tori was with him, she would have told him that food was going to give him a heart attack. He enjoyed being able to fried food, without her nagging on him. He glanced over at the passenger's seat. He also missed her head on his shoulder while he drove, even if she was complaining about his food.

He missed her after one morning. He couldn't imagine how he would feel after weeks, and being in two separate countries.

Going back to his apartment, he carried the bag of food with him. He walked in, looking around. The apartment which was big, now looked even bigger. Everything he owned, and was taking to Chicago was packed in boxes. His clothes, magazines, and a few other miscellaneous items. Like the silk sheets on his bed, and the single photo album Tori had given him. Almost all of the furniture had been sold, or given to his cousins. Every time he moved houses, he called his family to wipe out the place. It was the only reason why they ever saw each other. Everything left behind - which wasn't much - he sold. Every room was empty, except from his bedroom and kitchen. He only allowed his cousins to take the things in those, after he moved out.

He ate slowly on the counter, reading the paper. He later took a shower, and a long nap. He woke up half past six, and worried about Tori. He hadn't heard a work from her since morning. He grabbed his phone, and called her.

"Hi." He said.

"Hey...Sorry I haven't called all day."

He rubbed his eyes, tired. "It's okay. Come over, I have fast-food leftovers."

"Ew." She said, and he chuckled.

"I'll order some Thai."

"Sounds good."

"Where are you? Do you want me to pick you up?"

She was short, and quick. "No need, I'm already on the bus. Love you."

He answered her back, but she had already hanged up. He didn't think much of it. He got up, and went his way to find the Thai restaurant number. He finished ordering the food as she walked in.

They sat down on his bed, since he no longer had a couch. They watched the beginning of an Oscar nominee movie Beck had rented. He was loving it, she wasn't paying attention to it. After forty minutes, the food arrived. They got up, he paid the delivery man and she set the table. He walked back in with the food.

"The movie is good, isn't?" He began, and she nodded. "The writing is amazing, and the scenario-"

She took a deep breath, and interrupted him. "I have to tell you something."

He didn't hear her. "Even the soundtrack is good! Which to me is fundamental!" She tried again, once more failing. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Beck!" He looked up at her, surprised by her tone of voice. "I have to tell you something." She said, interrupting him.

He looked at her, finally realizing something was wrong. She wasn't wearing any makeup, which was rare. Her hair was tied up in a bun, and she had bags under her eyes. He felt shitty for not noticing it. "Are you okay?" He asked her, and she shook her head.

"I..." She looked down. "I'm pregnant."

Tori looked back up at him, as he sat still. He looked like he was about to drop dead. "Are you sure?"

"I went to the doctor today." He now turned desperate, an emotion unfamiliar to himself. She didn't know what to expect, or do. So she fell in the clichés. "You don't need to stay... I can take care of it on my own and..." Her eyes filled with tears as she told him those lies. Of course she needed him with her. She wouldn't be able to afford any of the medical bills without a job, a job based on her body. It would be months before she could go back to the club. If they were to take her back, which she found unlikely. "Beck please, say something."

"Holy shit." Was all he could get out. He got up from the chair, and walked around the empty dining room. "Fuck.. He had no words for it. He wasn't ready to have a child, raise the kid and be a father. "I don't know what to say." He looked at her.

"I didn't want this either." She mumbled. "I've been looking for clinics. I can end it, Beck."

"Don't even go there!" Beck said, in a strong tone of voice. He took a deep breath. "You're not going to get an abortion."

"I don't want to raise a child!" She yelled, tears running down her face. "I don't want to lose my job! This is not what I planned!"

"Of course we didn't plan it! But we have to deal with the consequences!"

She got up from the chair. "It's my body!" She yelled.

"It's OUR kid!" Beck shot back. He ran his fingers through his hair. "I have to think." He walked out, and Tori stayed in place. Hearing the front door bang shut. She fell back on the chair, sobbing.

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**A/N: Please review.**


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